


For the Love of Rice

by sunny_seize



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: 3 + 1, Dates, Fluff, Getting Together, M/M, Mutual Pining, Onigiri Miya, Pining, for the love of rice, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-27
Updated: 2020-12-27
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:08:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,972
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28355217
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunny_seize/pseuds/sunny_seize
Summary: “3+1 Things” → three times they don’t kiss, and the one time they doAkaashi and Kita want to kiss each other, but something always interrupts them.
Relationships: Akaashi Keiji/Kita Shinsuke
Comments: 2
Kudos: 15
Collections: Haikyuu!!





	For the Love of Rice

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mimimortis](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mimimortis/gifts).



> For Mimi <3 Thank you so much for making the octane (angst) bot! :D I hope you enjoy this fluffy and wild ride hahahah

~*~*~*~ 1 ~*~*~*~

The ring of the overhead bell alerted the owner to a customer.

“Ah, sorry! We’re closed for tanigh- Akaashi-kun?” Osamu trailed off as he watched one of his most frequent customers enter his shop.

“Oya, Myaa-sam. I was walking home from work, but I saw your light was on. I wanted to make sure no one was in here that shouldn’t be in here.”

Osamu blinked a few times. Akaashi was an interesting individual. While Osamu could understand him most of the time, sometimes his thought process was a little different from Osamu’s own. “So ya walked inside ta make sure I wasn’t bein’ robbed? That’s sweet of ya, Akaashi-kun.”

The other man blinked a few times, but he gave Osamu a small smile. Sometimes, Myaa-sam said the strangest things. “You are working late tonight, Myaa-sam.”

Osamu nodded as he turned back to his task of washing his utensils. “And you’re out late tonight, Akaashi-kun.”

Akaashi walked up to the counter that Osamu stood behind while he washed the dishes. “Yes. Tenma-san and I had our last deadline before we get time off for the holidays.”

Osamu nodded. “That’s actually why I’m open so late. Shinsuke-kun is visiting his parents and grandma for a week or two to see the Festival of Lights (1) with his sister, so he is bringing a shipment of rice with him for me. I’ll be one of the vendors for several days at the festival.”

“That’s exciting. A lot of work and publicity.”

Osamu dipped his head in a nod. “Ya.”

“Shinsuke-san is visiting...tonight?”

The question was plain in Akaashi’s voice. “D’ya wanna wait with me? I ‘ave some leftover onigiri I can make ya. I haven’t had dinner yet, so I’ll eat with ya while we wait for Shinsuke-kun.”

“I don’t want to be a burden…’

“You won’t be. In fact, you’ll be keeping me company. That would be great.”

Akaashi was looking down at the countertop, debating his options. He very much wanted to see Kita. It had been a while, and Akaashi missed him. “Thank you, Myaa-sam. I would very much like that.”

The smile that graced Osamu’s lips was really smug. It was a good thing he was facing away from Akaashi. “Thank _you_ , Akaashi-kun.”

Little to Akaashi’s knowledge, Osamu had been trying to set him and Kita on a date for ages. The two of them had flirted with each other for the past 9 months and still haven’t gotten together, and Osamu was ready for them to stop pining. This was perfect.

Almost an hour later, Osamu finished cleaning what he needed to, ate dinner with Akaashi, and greeted Kita as he pulled up in his truck. It really was late, almost 2am, so the three men worked quickly to get the bags of rice from the truck bed into the shop.

“Thank you again for bringing me this shipment so last minute, Shinsuke-kun.”

“It was no trouble. I was coming to town anyway.” Kita said this in reply to Osamu, but his gaze was very much on the other dark haired man in the room. Osamu felt another smile pull his lips, and he turned toward the door so neither of the other men noticed.

“I’ll get the last two bags! Shinsuke-kun, ya know where they go.”

Kita nodded and watched Osamu walk back out of the door. He carried the bag of rice he was currently holding to the storage room in the back, Akaashi close on his heels. After he deposited the bag on the shelf, he turned to take the one Akaashi was carrying. Akaashi’s presence didn’t back away as Kita turned and hefted the bag on top of the previous one.

As Kita suspected, Akaashi was really close when he turned back around again. So close that Kita could lean up and kiss him.

His breathing hitched at the thought. The two had been flirting with one another for a while now, and they kept in contact over messaging. However, both lived very busy lives, and they hadn’t been able to meet up as often as they both would have liked now that they both lived in the same prefecture.

"It's good to see you, Shinsuke-san." Akaashi murmured, sending shivers through Kita's spine. He had forgotten how much Akaashi's voice affected him in person. While they kept in contact through messaging and phone calls after university, ever since Akaashi moved to Osaka, Kita had been busy on the rice farm more often than not. It led to brief meetings over food or drinks before the two went their separate ways. Only ever getting to talk over the phone or through messaging.

Regardless, Kita has managed to learn a lot about the man in front of him: from his smart wit to his hard work as an editor. Each new piece of information reminded Kita why he had fallen for Akaashi back in college and why he was falling for him just as hard again.

"It's good to see you too, Keiji-san." Kita murmured, keeping eye contact with Akaashi.

He wondered what Akaashi would do if he were to kiss him right now. They were certainly heading for this development with the way they've been flirting during these past few months. Deciding to take a chance, Kita lifted up on his toes and watched as Akaashi watched him back through half-open eyes. He slid his own eyes shut, tilting his head and leaning in-

“Well, I’m going to start preparing my extra food tanight. I hate ta kick you two out, but I’m particular about these things. Shinsuke-kun, Akaashi-kun, come find my stand this week, and you’ll get free Onigiri fer-“

Osamu’s voice trailed off as his figure appeared in the doorway. He obviously realized he interrupted something as he backtracked.

“Err, thank ya both fer helping me tanight. Are…” Osamu trailed off and shrugged. He’d let them sort it out. “Well, goodnight.” He turned and left the two of them in the storage room.

Kita and Akaashi pulled back from each other as Osamu’s voice had cut through their moment.

Akaashi chuckled lightly and rubbed the nape of his neck. In a louder voice he called his thanks and a promise to stop by during the festival.

That shook Kita out of his own trance, and he echoed his words of thanks as well.

As they turned to leave, Kita spoke up. “Keiji-san. Is...I mean...are you walking home? I can give you a ride?”

Akaashi’s eyes widened. “Oh, uh. You needn’t trouble yourself, Shinsuke-san. My apartment isn’t too far of a walk.”

“Nonsense. It’s late. Besides, I offered. I don’t mind.”

Akaashi nodded. “Well...okay. Thank you, Shinsuke-san.”

The two walked out of Onigiri Miya and climbed into Kita’s truck. As Kita settled himself behind the wheel, Akaashi couldn’t help but think how good he looked as he worked the stick shift. It had funny feelings running all throughout Akaashi.

In truth, Akaashi had been harboring this crush on Kita for quite a while now. In college, they were acquaintances turned friends, associated by their mutual club activity: a doggy day care where dogs could be rented by students for walks, play, and cuddles. The crush had formed back then when Kita and Akaashi would run into each other at the library, sharing a table since they knew each other from their club. Then, they started volunteering at their club on the same days and time slots, slowly becoming friends. They helped each other study. Kita would help Akaashi in his science subjects while Akaashi would help Kita with his literature, essays, and papers. Shared meals and late study sessions were normal for them.

They had gone their separate ways after college, when Akaashi tried to find work in Tokyo and Kita came back to Hyogo to work on a farm.

While in Tokyo, Akaashi remained in contact with Kita, and he found work at a publishing company as an intern. It didn’t pay much, so Akaashi was forced to get roommates to share bills and living space. That’s when he met Sugawara and Oikawa. He told the two about Kita, even introducing them to each other over video chat. He was egged on relentlessly to tell Kita how he felt, but Akaashi didn’t think it was fair to make Kita deal with his feelings when the two lived so far apart.

So when he was offered an editorial job in Osaka with a substantial pay increase, he was encouraged by Oikawa and Sugawara to take the job and move. It was only then that Akaashi had been reunited with Kita, and the crush re-emerged when Kita would keep Akaashi company whenever the two of them ran into each other at random and when they would have conversations over text or over the phone.

Akaashi had no more excuses to not tell Kita about his feelings. Sitting in this truck next to the man in question, Akaashi felt like it was time to say something.

He opened his mouth to do just that when Kita said, “I’m glad I caught you while I’m in town. Do you have any time off? To spend with me at the festival, that is.”

Oh.

“I do have time off. The entire next week, actually.” Akaashi laughs. “It’ll be nice to relax for a little bit.”

Kita nods in agreement. “Yes. It’s the off season for rice farming in Hyogo. Osamu’s shipment of rice was actually imported; I just happened to be able to pick it up for him before I came back to Osaka to see my grandma and parents. I get to spend the next two weeks with them before heading back to the farm. Would you be able to meet up while you have time off?”

Akaashi fiddles his fingers together while he debates. He wanted to. He really wanted to.

“That sounds great to me, Shinsuke-san.”

The other nods with a slight smile. “I look forward to it. Message me when you’re up for company?” Kita slowed the truck to a stop outside of Akaashi’s apartment building.

Akaashi nodded and turned to give Kita a quick hug before getting out of the truck. “Message me when you get home, okay?” He gave the shorter man a small smile before getting out of the truck and walking into his building.

Kita’s eyes trailed after him, plans already forming in his mind.

~*~*~*~ 2 ~*~*~*~

It was the second day of Akaashi’s vacation when he messaged Kita to meet up.

 **Kita:** Thursday at 16:30 would be wonderful. I’ll meet you at the entrance to the Osaka Castle Park?

 **Akaashi:** Yes. I’ll see you then.

Once sending that message, he promptly called Sugawara to freak out.

“Hello?”

“I’m meeting Shinsuke-san Thursday. I think it’s a date.”

A loud scream that was distinctly Oikawa sounded in the background of Sugawara’s side of the phone call. Akaashi clearly heard the, “We need to be in Osaka YESTERDAY! KOUSHI, LET’S GO. The shinkansen can get us there in 3 hours!”

“Tooru, we are _not_ taking the most expensive shinkansen last minute to help Akaashi with his date.”

“Ask him what time it is!”

A heavy sigh sounded in Akaashi’s ear, making him smile and a feeling of ‘I miss them’ echo through him. “We’re meeting up at 16:30.”

“See!? Suga-chan, that’s three days and 6 hours from now! We can go!”

“You don’t need to come.” Akaashi interrupted. “I was calling to get advice on what I should wear. Nothing more.”

“Akaashi...Keiji, you’re freaking out aren’t you?”

It was the question that released his flood of thoughts. “What if it’s not a date? What if I’m misinterpreting it? What if Kita only meant as friends? He’s visiting his parents and grandma in Osaka, and he’ll be here for the next two weeks, but am I taking away his precious time by being selfish? What if he doesn’t actually want to meet up and had only asked to be polite?”

“Keiji, sweetheart, take a deep breath.”

Sugawara’s calming voice let Akaashi inhale deeply, hold, and exhale slowly. He repeated the action a few more times before his racing thoughts slowed again.

“Better?”

“Yeah. Thank you, Suga.”

“Mhmm. Tell me, it’s the festival of the lights right now in Osaka?”

“Yes.”

“Hmm...Tooru, start packing. We’re making a trip.”

“FINALLY! I’m way ahead of you! I’ve even picked out at least three outfits for Aka-chan to try on!”

“But-”

“We’ll meet you at your apartment tomorrow. Go take a relaxing bath, make some tea, and maybe do some reading. We’ll probably have to take the Kodama and won’t be there until tomorrow afternoon.”

“But-”

“See you soon, Aka-chan~”

“See you soon, Akaashi.”

The line was disconnected moments later, and Akaashi stared in disbelief at his phone. Those two… but a smile crept its way back onto his face. He hasn’t seen them since summer, when they met Kita for the first time in person. That had been...eventful. He was excited to see them again.

Then, he remembered the state of his apartment and promptly started freaking out again.

When Sugawara and Oikawa had visited in the summer, it had been about two or three months since Akaashi moved in. He had an excuse to not have his furniture built. Now that he’s been here nine months, he has no such excuse. His coffee table was the only assembled furniture besides his arm chair and the couch. He hasn’t had the time to build his dining table or his dining chairs or his side tables-

Deep breathes, Akaashi.

They’re your best friends. They won’t care.

Glancing around his apartment again, he decided he probably needed some help.

Feeling his nerves rise again, he texted the only person who he knew wasn’t busy with their job at the moment.

 **Akaashi:** Tenma-san, how are you at building furniture?

The reply didn’t come until Akaashi put his water on the stove for some tea.

 **Udai:** I’m not good at that kind of stuff...I bought all of mine pre-assembled. Why? Do you need help?

Fuck, that wasn’t good. Akaashi sighed. He hadn’t built any of his either. Myaa-sam had helped him after they became friends. Actually, now that Akaashi thinks about it, Kita was the one to help him first. After they met up again in Osaka, Kita had helped him assemble his armchair and coffee table. Then, after Akaashi became friends with Osamu, Kita and Osamu assembled the three bookshelves that sat in throughout his apartment: two in the living room and one in the bedroom.

He was going to have to text Kita, wasn’t he? 

**Akaashi:** Thank you for your honesty, Tenma-san. I’ve figured it out.

 **Udai:** Sorry I wasn’t any help! Don’t spend all of our week off building things, Keiji-kun!

Akaashi huffed out a laugh. Sometimes Udai was funny. Most of the time, he was stressed out but that was due to the nature of being a mangaka.

Returning to his messages, he typed one out to Kita.

 **Akaashi:** Are you busy in the morning tomorrow?

He would set a time limit for Kita’s help. If he was available in the morning, then Akaashi can treat him to lunch after they get at least the side tables built. Or maybe they should do the dining table? Or maybe the chairs would be-

 **Kita:** I am available all day tomorrow. Well, at least until 16:00. I’ll need to pick up my niece and nephew from school.

Kita's reply came before Akaashi's tea was steeped.

 **Akaashi:** Would you be up to helping me build some furniture?

 **Kita:** You aren’t done yet?

A laugh escaped. He had promised Kita the last time that he would finish building the furniture, but he has been busy.

 **Akaashi:** Is that a no?

Sometimes, Akaashi liked teasing Kita.

 **Kita:** Of course not. I’ll be over tomorrow. What time were you planning?

 **Akaashi:** 10? I don’t want to wake you up too early on your vacation.

 **Kita:** 10 is perfect. I haven’t been sleeping in too much anyhow. Should I bring my tools?

 **Akaashi:** Yes. That’s a good idea.

 **Kita:** Great. I’ll see you then!

Akaashi felt some tension leave his shoulders. Perfect.

 **Akaashi:** Thank you. I’ll see you then!

With that done, Akaashi let his tea finish steeping then listened to Sugawara’s instructions. He filled his bath up and added some lavender bubble bath, picked out a face mask, and stretched out in the tub with his cup of tea.

After getting out of the bath, he dragged his extra futons out to set aside for Sugawara and Oikawa, drank another cup of tea, and did some light reading. Before he knew it, it was time for dinner. He went about making a simple miso soup with grilled chicken on the side and ate that before getting ready for bed. After reading well into the night, Akaashi fell asleep only to be awoken by his alarm at 9am the next morning.

He gets ready for the day, prepares eggs and rice for breakfast, and receives a text from Kita that he is on his way. That prompts Akaashi to change and drag out his dining chairs and dining table boxes. Just after he finishes that, there’s a knock on his door.

He opens it to find Kita’s smiling face. “Good morning.”

“Good morning." Akaashi replies, letting Kita into the apartment. "Have you had breakfast yet?”

“Ah, I did. Thank you for asking. I see you have a lot of work to do.”

Akaashi blushes at the comment. Sitting on the floor in the area between the kitchen and living rooms are the boxes he just dragged out.

“Thank you again for coming to help so last minute.”

“Don’t worry about it. I’m happy to see you.”

Akaashi paused at the comment, unsure of how to react. Kita, however, brushes it off as he steps over to the boxes.

“Is there a piece of furniture you want built first?”

Akaashi nods but then shakes his head. “Um, I’m not actually sure…whichever would be the most useful? In case we only have time to build one before lunch.”

That made Kita look at him. “Are you busy after lunch? I thought...well, I am free until I have to leave to pick up my niece and nephew. It’s only a 30 minute walk from here to their school…”

“Oh, I forgot to mention this yesterday, but Oikawa and Sugawara are coming for a short visit. They’ll be here around 15:00.”

“Ah,” Kita hums as he starts pulling pieces from one of the piles. “Your friends from Tokyo. I remember them.”

Akaashi hoped it was only good memories.

“Well, let’s get your dining table and chairs built. That way you three won’t have to eat on the couch...or on the floor using the coffee table as a dining table.”

Akaashi chuckled sheepishly. That’s what they ended up doing last time.

“Alright. I’m in your capable hands. Tell me what I need to do.”

The next few hours flew by, and they were able to assemble the dining table and one chair before it was lunchtime. Akaashi insisted on paying for lunch; Kita relented to ordering sushi. They worked on building a second chair while waiting for the sushi to be delivered, but they didn’t finish before it arrived. They ended up using the coffee table as a dining table and sitting on the floor side by side.

“I don’t know why you didn’t just purchase a traditional dining set instead. Then, you wouldn’t have had to worry about assembling the chairs.” Kita mentions while taking a bite of salmon.

Akaashi hummed as he finished chewing his own bite of crab roll. “The traditional sets were much more expensive. If I remember correctly the traditional table with cushions cost about ¥100,000 more than the modern dining set (2). At the time, I wanted to save on money. I didn’t think about the implications that should have been obvious.”

Kita smiles at Akaashi’s explanation. In truth, he shouldn’t complain. This way, he gets to spend more time with the curly haired man.

“Well, I’m just thankful we’re finally making progress on making your apartment feel more like a home.”

Akaashi hums as he takes a bite of his sushi. It certainly felt more like a home when Kita was around, but Akaashi didn’t know if he was ready to admit that out loud to himself, let alone to the man sitting next to him.

The two continued their lunch, discussing Kita's visit with his parents and grandma and Akaashi's plans for his vacation. They returned to building the last of the three dining chairs after they finished lunch. It was nearing 15:00 as they worked on assembling the fourth chair.

Kita’s head was ducked down, looking at the last leg they were trying to fit into place. Akaashi was holding the chair steady while Kita was guiding the chair leg into place.

Kita was so close to Akaashi that he could smell his shampoo. It was heady, being so close to Kita, and brought back thoughts of becoming more than friends with the man in front of him.

Kita happened to glance up at Akaashi then, bringing their faces a breadth’s width apart.

The molten caramel of Kita’s eyes entranced Akaashi. He leaned in just a little; Kita mimicking his movements as they both tilted their heads.

Just as their lips were about to meet, there was a knock on his apartment door with the call of Oikawa’s “Aka-chan! Open up!”

Akaashi and Kita drew back immediately, a blush rising to Akaashi’s cheeks. He stood up quickly, abandoning his task of steadying the chair to rush to his apartment door.

He opened the door to his two friends’ smiling faces. They came inside and put their overnight bags down before noticing Kita, who was tightening the last screw in the chair leg.

“Shin-chan! It’s so good to see you again!”

Kita dipped his head in acknowledgment. “Oikawa-san, still friendly as always, I see. Sugawara-san, it’s nice to see you again too.”

That broke Sugawara out of his thoughts as he replied. “Shinsuke-san, I see you’re taking good care of our Keiji-kun.”

Akaashi subtly elbowed Sugawara for that comment as Kita chuckled.

“He’s been taking care of me as well; I assure you of that.”

Akaashi’s face heated up at the compliment. Honestly, he would get no reprieve the longer his friends interacted with Kita.

“Ah, you can put your things in my bedroom for the time being, Oikawa, Suga.”

The two exchanged a glance, which Akaashi most definitely noticed, before agreeing and leaving Akaashi with Kita.

Akaashi walked back over to Kita and helped him pack up his tools. They still had yet to assemble the side tables, but it was nearing time for Kita to leave if he was going to get to his niece and nephew’s school on time.

Akaashi handed Kita his tools, their fingers brushing as they exchanged hands. It sent tingles up Akaashi’s arm, and he needed to tell Oikawa and Sugawara about this.

“Thank you again for your help, Shinsuke-san.”

Kita smiled at him, packing up the last of his things. “Anytime, Keiji-san.” He stood and walked toward the door. Slipping on his shoes, Kita said, “Let me know if our plans change for Thursday? I don’t want to interrupt your time with your friends.”

Akaashi found himself holding back a blush as he remembers exactly why his friends were here. Then again, how hilarious would it be that they came all this way, only for Akaashi’s date to be cancelled? Then again, again, Akaashi really wanted his and Kita’s outing to be a date.

“Our plans for Thursday shouldn’t change. If they do, I will let you know.”

Kita gave him one last smile before he was out the door.

~*~*~*~ 3 ~*~*~*~

“Alright, Aka-chan, you’re going to sit down and tell us what the hell that was all about!” Oikawa demanded as soon as Kita had left.

Akaashi didn’t know what to tell them, so he recounted his entire interaction with Kita the night at Myaa-sam’s shop. “Then, he told me to message him when I was up for company. I messaged him yesterday morning, and he picked Thursday to see the festival. I asked him over today because...well…”

“You never assembled your furniture after we visited the last time.” Sugawara replied for him, ever observant.

“And we all know how much you suck at building things.” Oikawa quips, reminding everyone about that time when Akaashi tried making them their holiday presents.

He’s stuck to buying things ever since.

“...yes.”

Oikawa stretches out on the couch while Sugawara starts making tea for all of them.

“Alright, so what were you guys doing today? Besides building furniture?”

A persistent blush lit up Akaashi’s cheeks as he remembered how they almost kissed before being interrupted. He buries his face in his hands and groans.

Oikawa nudges him with his foot. “Oi, don’t ignore my question. What were you doing? Don’t tell me you actually just built furniture today. Even Iwa-chan gets distracted from that when I’m around.”

Akaashi’s blush just burned brighter as he mumbled something the other two couldn’t make out. So, Oikawa just kept nudging him until Sugawara came over and whapped him lightly on the shoulder. To Akaashi, he gently touched his shoulder and said, “Here, take your tea and tell us while you calm down, okay?”

Akaashi uncurled from his ball of shame and took the proffered cup. “...Thank you.”

Sugawara nodded and grabbed the other two cups from the kitchen before sitting down next to Oikawa on the couch. They turned to Akaashi, gesturing for him to continue.

Taking a deep breath after sipping some tea, Akaashi started. “We were working together to build the dining table and the chairs. Uh, there was a lot of close contact and brushing of hands and arms, and um… Right before you knocked on the door, I think we were going to kiss?”

Oikawa gasped. “And you let us interrupt you?! Aka-chan! NO!”

Sugawara laughed at Oikawa’s antics, but Akaashi could only sigh. “I don’t know why I’m acting like a middle schooler about all of this. I mean, it’s just a kiss, right?”

“A kiss with someone you’ve been pining after for literal years!”

“Tooru has a point.” Sugawara was agreeing with Oikawa and that was never a good sign in Akaashi’s favor. “Kita-san is someone special. He’s been someone special to you for a long time. If he is showing interest, then maybe it’s time to make your move.”

Akaashi looked down as he considered his friends’ words. He was nervous about it, but...they were right. He knew they were right too. He just didn’t want to admit it because that meant he would be doing something dangerous Thursday. Something that could change his and Kita’s relationship drastically.

“Okay. Okay. I need to go shopping. I have nothing to wear Thursday.” Thoughts of freaking out were barely being kept at bay, so he took another sip of tea.

Sugawara and Oikawa shared a smile. “Good thing we’re here, Aka-chan! We’ll get you ready for your date, and there’s no way Kita-san will be able to resist you!”

Akaashi smiled at them. If there was one thing he knew, it was that he was in good hands.

When Thursday afternoon came around, Oikawa and Sugawara didn’t let him do anything except relax in preparation for his date. In all honesty, it was driving him wild not being able to do anything. He finally relented to taking a bath, took a cup of tea and a book with him, and got lost in the world of adventures and mystery.

When he came out, Oikawa was picking through the three new outfits Akaashi bought the day before, and Sugawara was waiting for him so he could do Akaashi’s makeup.

Akaashi sat down in his bathrobe in front of Sugawara and put himself into Sugawara’s capable hands. He closed his eyes while he got to work. The brush strokes calmed him down more, and he felt the anxiety that had been building relax a little.

Oikawa put on some music and started humming along to it while he laid out Akaashi’s outfit. When Sugawara finished with his makeup, Akaashi saw the outfit and raised an eyebrow at Oikawa.

Oikawa waved his hand at Akaashi’s uncertainty. “Trust me, you look good in blue. Plus, it’s supposed to be cold tonight! Good for sharing body heat.”

Akaashi just rolled his eyes, but he relented to the outfit. It _was_ cute. Oikawa then roped him into the bathroom to style his hair.

Within the next twenty minutes, Sugawara and Oikawa waved him off as he left to meet up with Kita.

~*~*~*~

Kita looked up from his phone after receiving Akaashi’s “I see you” text. They had been texting all day, and Akaashi had reassured Kita that he wasn’t dragging him away from his friends. Their plans remained the same.

His thought process abruptly stopped once he saw Akaashi was walking right toward him, looking absolutely...ethereal.

He was wrapped up in a navy blue sweater; the neckline of which was wide and hanging off one shoulder. He had a cream colored scarf wrapped around his neck, but a sliver of collarbone still peaked out at Kita. The rest of his outfit consisted of black slacks and shoes. Kita was suddenly glad he had grabbed a coat to go over his olive jacket, cream colored long sleeve shirt, and jeans. Akaashi would need the coat later in the night, and Kita wanted...needed to see him wearing his clothes.

“Hi.” Akaashi said with a smile.

Kita’s breath caught in his throat before he could reply. Akaashi was wearing eyeliner and a sparkling shade of blue eyeshadow that made his blue-green eyes absolutely pop. His lips looked shiny too...lip gloss? Something fluttered in Kita’s stomach, but he managed to smile back. “Hi.”

They were joined moments later by Kita’s older sister and her three- and seven-year-olds.

“Akaashi-kun! I didn’t know you were joining us on our outing!”

Akaashi blinked before he nodded. “Oh, uh, Kita-onee-san. It is good to see you.”

Kita’s sister smiled. “I keep telling you to at least call me onee-chan, but I guess you have improved from Kita-san.” She laughs, and Kita suddenly feels like he should have clarified his plan to Akaashi.

Well, he could work with this.

They mapped out their walk through the Toyotomi Castle Town; Kita taking the hand of his niece while his sister picked up his nephew to carry around. He glanced over at Akaashi. The lights from the festival just made him that much more otherworldly. It brought another smile to Kita’s face before his attention was drawn back to his niece. She was tugging on his hand and pointing at the lit up metal structures that were shaped and decorated with different lights to make them look like koi.

“Oji-Shin! Lookit! Fishes!”

Kita smiled down at his niece and nodded. “They do look like fish. Koi to be exact.”

“Koi?" Meiko, his niece, tried out the word on her tongue before getting distracted. "C’mon! I wanna see the rest of the town before it’s Otouto’s bedtime!” And so, Kita was dragged along by his niece as she led their course through the town.

Akaashi walked beside Kita, and Kita couldn’t resist bumping their shoulders together. “It’s pretty, isn’t it?”

The other man nods, a smile on his own lips while he looks at the decorations. “I’ve never been here before.”

“I keep forgetting that you haven’t lived in Osaka for very long. This is your first December here, isn’t it?”

Akaashi nods, and Kita aches to take Akaashi’s hands in his own. “I was rather excited when you mentioned wanting to come here with me. I didn’t want to come by myself, and I don’t know that I would have come alone.”

“Well, Oikawa-san and Sugawara-san came to visit to see the festival, right?”

“Their trip was last minute, and I didn’t know they were coming until the day before they showed up. It was more of a sudden decision. I don’t mind though. They actually went to see the Hikari no Taki lights in the Minami area tonight. We were planning to meet up afterward for drinks...if you want to come?”

Akaashi looked hopeful, and Kita wanted so badly to say yes.

“That sounds fun, but I’m going to have to pass. I already promised my sister I would take the kids home while she goes out on a date with her husband. He’s coming back from Kyoto later tonight, and I know they want to have some time alone together.”

Kita caught Akaashi’s crestfallen expression, and he thought ‘fuck it’ before reaching out and grabbing Akaashi’s hand. He laced their fingers together as Akaashi turned his head to stare at him. Kita gave him a smile back. “Raincheck?”

Akaashi finally smiled back at him and agreed.

His sister stopped to observe the historical lights, and Meiko walked up to his sister to grab her mom’s hand. It was perfect timing for Kita’s plan.

He walked up to his sister as well. “Oi, nee-chan. Can you handle them for a little while by yourself? I wanted to take Akaashi to see the castle. He’s never been.”

His sister’s eyes glanced down at their linked hands, and she rolled her eyes before giving them a fond smile. “Of course. Go ahead. Don’t be too long.”

“We can meet up in front of the Onigiri Miya stall? It should be somewhere in the light town area.”

She nodded and waved them off. “Have fun!”

The two groups separated as Kita dragged Akaashi with him toward a different area of the festival. Akaashi was following along, his fingers unconsciously squeezing and un-squeezing Kita’s hand. It was relaxing.

They passed by a ring-shaped structure where a couple was kissing; a small box nestled in one of their hands. The cute scene brought a smile to Kita’s face, and he thought maybe he would have some luck tonight as well.

Turning to Akaashi, he saw that the other man was entranced by the lights woven over the plaza ground.

Kita bumps their shoulders together again, which prompts Akaashi to speak. “I know the lights are supposed to symbolize water for the koi, but I can’t help but think of your rice fields.”

Akaashi's smile was then directed at Kita, and Kita promptly lost his breath for the second time that night.

The taller man is just so enticing; his features highlighted even more by the soft glow of the lights surrounding them. With Akaashi’s warm hand in his own, Kita can’t help but reach up his other hand and wrap it around the nape of Akaashi’s neck.

Akaashi gives him an indecipherable look, one wrought with an eager tension, and a blush coloring his cheeks purple because of the lights. Akaashi hesitantly reaches up to cup Kita’s face; his other hand is cold from the chilly air. It makes Kita’s own blush more obvious.

Kita tugs him down to meet his lips, but before they can brush together, a familiar voice shrieks, “Oji-Shin! Found ya!”

Kita’s eyes widen as his head swerves to look at his niece, running up to them without her mother in sight. Oh, his sister was probably panicking right now. He regretfully pulls away from Akaashi and picks his niece up as she reaches them. Settling her on his hip, he lightly reprimands her.

“Meiko-chan, what are you doing without your mother?”

“I wanted to come with you and Akaashi-san to see the castle!”

A sigh escapes from Kita as he tries to wrangle his phone from his pocket. He better call his sister before she freaks out.

Akaashi occupies Meiko’s attention while Kita pulls up his sister’s phone number and rings her. He explains that Meiko is with him and Akaashi, and they can still meet up at Onigiri Miya’s stall.

After confirming they were heading there right now, Kita hung up and watched Akaashi and his niece.

Akaashi was pointing at the castle lit up in the distance, explaining something about the history of Osaka, his fingers bathed in the soft blue light of the "waves" decorating the ground around them. His niece was listening with rapt attention, and Kita felt himself smile as he watched the two of them.

He couldn’t help but think about how well Akaashi seemed to fit into his family. But those were thoughts to be tabled for a much later time.

The trio walked to the stalls lining the light town attraction and eventually came across Osamu’s. He greeted them and even handed out free onigiri to Kita’s sister and children, much to Kita’s sister’s polite protests.

They ate near the stall, enjoying company and good food before his sister needed to leave to pick up her husband. They said their goodbyes, and Akaashi mentioned that he should get going too if he was going to meet Sugawara and Oikawa on time. Kita longed to pull him in for a goodbye kiss, but he was holding onto his niece and nephew, and it wasn’t an optimal first kiss moment. They said their goodbyes, leaving Kita with his niece, his nephew, and Osamu.

“Ya like him, huh?”

Kita’s eyes darted to Osamu before latching back onto Akaashi’s retreating figure.

“He…” Kita paused as he considered his next words. “He is an interesting person. Someone I want to spend more time with."

“Hmm... Have ya told him that? As Aran would say, ya don’t need a reason to feel happy. Plus, I’m sure he would like to hear the reassurance.”

Kita pondered over Osamu’s words. Each time they had tried to kiss, it had felt like the right moment, but it hadn’t come to fruition. Perhaps Osamu was right. Akaashi was the type to overthink, and Kita should be more straightforward to reassure him. Declaring his intention might help.

“Thank you, Osamu.”

Osamu dipped his head in a nod and waved him off.

As Kita walked his nephew and niece back to his parents’ home, Akaashi’s gentle blush and eager look came to mind. He seemed hesitant in his posture. The way he leaned in before they’d been interrupted had been obvious but unsure. Kita hopes to fix that the next time they see each other.

~*~*~*~ +1 ~*~*~*~

Akaashi hit the ground running when he started work back on Monday. Sugawara and Oikawa said their goodbyes Sunday morning, and their visit left Akaashi feeling rejuvenated. Even Tenma-san’s mid-morning, stress-induced freak out couldn’t dampen his spirits.

Kita texted Akaashi yesterday with the question to meet up tonight after work. Akaashi just had to run these sheets over to the 5th floor office before he met Kita at Onigiri Miya. He bid his goodbyes on his way out of the office and walked toward the Onigiri shop.

Kita was already inside. For the evening hour, it wasn’t busy at all. The other man smiled at Akaashi as they met in the middle.

“Shinsuke-san, I hope I’m not taking you away from your family too much.” Akaashi said as he watched Kita’s face light up in a smile.

“No, you aren’t taking me away from anything. In fact, you’re bringing me something valuable.”

Akaashi tilted his head in question at that statement. “What do you mean, bringing you something valuable? I didn’t forget an important date did-”

“No, no. Sorry, Keiji-san. I misspoke.” Kita chuckled and glanced up at the ceiling.

Following his line of sight, Akaashi’s eyes widened as he realized there was mistletoe hanging above the two of them. That’s when he noticed the shop was suspiciously empty for it being near dinner time, and Myaa-sam was nowhere to be found either.

Suspicion started creeping into Akaashi’s thoughts before Kita’s hand on his face directed his focus to the shorter man.

“I don’t know if I made my intentions clear before now. I realized that after our date on Thursday.”

Akaashi’s eyes widened as he got his confirmation. That _had_ been a date then.

Kita smiles at Akaashi’s look, and he nods his head. “Yeah. I knew I hadn’t communicated it well enough. Keiji…”

Akaashi’s first name with no honorifics stopped Akaashi’s thought processes completely.

“...I like you. I’ve liked you since college, but I didn’t want to say anything. I had a feeling you liked me in the same way, but we were going our separate ways. Now that our paths have crossed again, I would like to try something new with you. Something beyond friendship, if that is what you want.”

Akaashi swallowed a few times before he could reply. “Shinsuke,” might as well drop the honorifics as well, “it’s quite possible that there is nothing I want more.”

With that statement, Akaashi finally reached out to cup Kita’s cheek in his hand. His fingers slid through Kita’s soft spun hair and tilted his head to meet Akaashi’s.

Kita, meanwhile, leaned into Akaashi’s hand and reached out his other hand to cup Akaashi’s cheeks. Their lips finally, _finally_ , met in a soft caress, breathes shared between them as they pulled back from one another. Kita, though, pulled Akaashi back in for one, two, three more kisses; one for each time they missed out on.

A brilliant smile adorned Akaashi’s face as they finally separated. Kita’s hands slid down to take Akaashi’s hands in his own, a smile on his own face.

While it may have taken them a while to get to where they are, it had been worth the wait.

~*~*~*~ END ~*~*~*~

**Author's Note:**

> (1) [Festival of Lights Info](https://www.hikari-kyoen.com/en/) → I highly recommend clicking on the “Virtual Tour of the Lights” and watching the videos they have posted there! My favorites were the Hikari no Taki (Minami Area), the Winter Voyage Tree (Umeda Area), and of course the Toyotomi Castle Town and Osaka History Tour (Osaka Castle Area). 
> 
> (2) I have no idea if this is actually true or not and I was too lazy to look it up so take the accuracy of this with a grain of sand.
> 
> (3) [Osaka Castle Virtual Tour 2020](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgMsP91Y3mw) \--> Note, I have no idea if this link will work after Nov 2021; it should? I mean it's YT right? haha


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